Move about freely within 1,400 square meters and discover a variety of virtual worlds. From production and city planning, to architecture and gaming, Holodeck 4.0 transforms your individual needs into a customized solution.

Immerse yourself in the boundless world of virtual reality.

Technology

Holodeck 4.0 utilizes the following system components:

Precision positioning and tracking technology

Positioning is based on a combination of different technologies developed by Fraunhofer IIS. Moving about freely within a large area of virtual worlds requires highly-precise positioning technology. With the RedFIR® technology, Fraunhofer IIS offers a proven and robust positioning and tracking technology which is set up at the L.I.N.K. Test and Application Center. The existing system, with its positioning components, was optimized especially for use with Holodeck 4.0. Apart from RedFIR®, other positioning technologies can be easily integrated.

Positioning transmitter

The miniaturized and extremely robust RedFIR® transmitters, which can be easily mounted on or integrated in a head-mounted display, are both weather and shock proof. The batteries operate for 3 to 4 hours and are recharged over-the-air. The system supports up to 100 transmitters, allowing multiple users to interact with another and simultaneously discover the different virtual worlds.

Head-mounted display

Users can immerse themselves in the boundless virtual worlds of Holodeck 4.0 with smartphone-based head-mounted display (HMD) units. The precise positioning data is transmitted via WiFi. The orientation data is derived from the gyroscope, magnetometer and accelerometer technology in the smartphone. Once the sensor and positioning data has been merged, the virtual world can be directly generated in the smartphone. The portable design ensures comfortable and wireless movement in the real world.

3D content

Utilization of the Unity 3D gaming engine allows the platform-independent development of virtual worlds. That means 3D worlds can also be experienced on other end-user devices, thus making interaction possible across a wide range of media. The most popular 3D formats can be easily integrated into our chosen gaming engine. Depending on the application, this gives developers the freedom to create a variety of virtual worlds.

Application

A wealth of different applications are possible with Holodeck 4.0 VR

Examples:

Production and logistics

Architecture, construction and city planning

Healthcare

Information and entertainment

Security and safety

Production and logistics

In the age of Industry 4.0, virtual reality is already an established technology in production and logistics processes. The system developed by Fraunhofer IIS supports process and transport flow optimization, as well as the planning of new, large-scale industrial systems. A high level of planning quality, which is based on digital, early-stage design validation, helps avoid production process conflicts, reduces downtime and ensures qualified employees through VR-based training.

Architecture, construction and city planning

Smart City concepts are aimed at the more streamlined design and technically-advanced planning of cities. Technology from Fraunhofer IIS is making an important contribution in this area. By representing buildings and cities in the virtual worlds of Holodeck 4.0, city planners and architects can compare concepts prior to planning and construction in order to pinpoint the best solution. This prevents the creation of flawed plans, reduces costs and allows the testing of new planning approaches.

Healthcare

The use of Holodeck 4.0 offers many areas of the health care industry significant advantages. One example is the application of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) for people who suffer from disorders such as acrophobia, claustrophobia or post-traumatic stress. The idea is to help patients confront fear-inducing situations and learn to deal with their anxieties under the supervision of a therapist. VRET's success rate is comparable to conventional approaches, but costs considerably less. It also avoids the dangers of real-world situations to ensure the patient's safety.

Information and entertainment

Holodeck 4.0 is making an important contribution in the area of information and entertainment. The system from Fraunhofer IIS can help the disabled move about inside museums that lack barrier-free access for instance. Another possibility is a revolutionary 3D movie experience in which viewers are not restricted to a single perspective. Instead, they can freeze a frame at any time and then virtually move around within the film. Other potential applications include serious games, a term that describes simulations of real-world events or processes designed for solving a problem. Furthermore the VR localisation technology can be used in multiplayer games and theme parks (e.g. roller coaster, horror maze). Or surprise your customers at a trade fair with a tailored VR application so they can experience your booth in a new way.

Security and safety

Holodeck 4.0 is leading to major advances in the area of security technology training by allowing the military, first responders and other security and public safety organizations to carry out cost-effective catastrophe response training exercises under real conditions. This ensures optimally-trained personnel who are in a much better position to apply what they have learned, even in difficult situations.

Offer

Fraunhofer IIS offers the interactive use of 3D models from a wide range of applications in its one-of-a-kind L.I.N.K. Test and Application Center. With access to 1,400 square meters of space, you have the opportunity to move about freely and test your requirements first-hand.

By incorporating your requirements profile, our engineers work together with you to develop a virtual reality application tailored to the local needs of the customer.

Wireless positioning and communication has been a core expertise at Fraunhofer IIS for more than 20 years. We boast a team of 50 researchers that is constantly working on the wireless technologies and positioning solutions for tomorrow. With our extensive know-how and experience in the field of positioning and tracking, we can support you in developing a positioning system for a wide range of virtual reality applications.